Losing You // Solange (official video)

Solange’s “Losing You” was co-written and produced by Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes. The video was directed by Melina Matsoukas. The video has cameos from designer Lizzy Okpo, and dapper Sapeurs in South Africa.

Over the last few years, I’ve just become really interested in black art and African art and I’ve actually started to collect. I’ve read a bunch of different series of books on African art, and I would constantly see this Gentlemen of Bacongo book. In 2009, FADER had a feature about the Sapeurs. I remember reading about them and thinking it was the most interesting and complex and unique thing that I had seen in a long time. It left an impact but there was nothing that I could do with it. I was totally inspired but that was it. So I was finally like, three years later, let me pick this book up. I got it and was just blown away. It’s one thing to see all this insane imagery that’s so beautiful and profound and striking, but it’s another thing to actually read about the culture. I was just kinda stunned and struck. I remember calling my mom and asking her, Have you heard of these guys? At the same time, I was building these references and mood boards. I went old school. I had pushpins. And so I just thought it would be so ill to feature this culture and collaborate with them on a video. But the idea seemed so intricate and huge, and so far beyond actually making it happen that I didn’t know where to start. So obviously I was just like the starting point has to be getting in touch with this photographer. He is the guy who, not discovered it, but played a huge role in documenting this culture and lifestyle.

Over a quarter million views and counting… Thank you for understanding this piece… I caught a lot of flack for being naked in the video (which was done to symbolize our current state of vulnerability, loneliness, the way blacks were belittled, beaten, and bartered) but some people couldn’t look pass it. Some people couldn’t look pass the fact that the video was vulgar and graphic… Well… I cant apologize for any of that… I cant apologize for the truth… I can only thank those who understand, for understanding…
– ‪#‎3DNATEE‬